In January 1658, Charles Stewart went into exile in France, and
took up his residence in the house of his uncle, Ludovic, seigneur
d'Aubigny. In the following year he fell under the displeasure of
the The
Protectorate's Council of State, and warrants
were issued for seizing his person and goods.[2]

Charles Stewart married, firstly, Elizabeth Rogers, after June
1659. He married, secondly, Margaret Banaster, on 31 March 1662. He
married, thirdly, Frances Teresa Stewart, granddaughter of Walter Stewart, 1st Lord
Blantyre, in March 1667. This last marriage was famous, as
Frances Stewart had been desired by Richmond's cousin, King Charles
II, as a mistress.

Charles Stewart returned to England with Charles II in 1660, and
sat in the Convention Parliament, showing
great animosity towards the supporters of the Commonwealth.[2] On
the death of his 10-year-old cousin Esmé Stewart on 10 August 1660,
Charles Stewart succeeded as third Duke of Richmond and sixth Duke of
Lennox.[1]
In that same year he was created hereditary great chamberlain of
Scotland, hereditary great admiral of Scotland, and lord-lieutenant
of Dorset. On 15 April 1661 he was invested with the Order of
the Garter.[2]

On the death of his uncle, Ludovic Stuart, he succeeded him as
12th Seigneur D'Aubigny, for which title he did homage by proxy to
Louis
XIV of France on 11 May 1670. In July 1667, on the death of his
cousin, Mary Butler, countess of Arran, he became Baron Clifton,
and on 4 May 1668 he was made lord lieutenant and vice admiral of
Kent jointly with the Earl of Winchilsea.[2]

n 1671 he was sent as ambassador to the Danish court to persuade Denmark to join
England and France in a projected attack on the Dutch. While there
he died (by drowning) in 1672, aged 33 at Elsinore,[1][2]
without issue, and his titles became extinct. He was buried on 20
September 1673 at Westminster Abbey.